Why I Love Natural Light Photography

Natural light photography uses the sun as the main light source rather than artificial lights. In any type of photography, the light can make or break the success of the photograph.

This type of photography can be taken outside (my favorite) or inside near a window. For personal brand photography, photos can be taken in the street, at coffee shops, parks, etc…depending upon what reflects your lifestyle.

Taking photographs outside never gets boring! It always challenges me as a photographer, because the weather and lighting conditions are ALWAYS different. That means taking the time to determine where the light is coming from (the direction), how to place the subject or product, and which camera settings would work the best in that particular circumstance.

I love the different moods natural light photography offers depending upon the weather and the time of day.

Golden hour (the hour before sunset and just after sunrise) produces soft, warm tones and blue hour (right after sunset and before sunrise) produces cool, bluish tones.

Natural light is flattering and softer for skin tones. Reflectors and diffusers can help to remove face shadows if the sun is directly overhead or too harsh.

Less formal headshots and portraits can be taken outside and included in a personal brand photography session.

For me, natural light feels more authentic and less staged. It’s more about being in the moment:)

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Here are a few examples of photographs taken in natural light:

Eco-friendly glass photographed during golden hour.

Mother/daughter photo taken at the beach on an overcast evening.

Yoga pose during golden light.